Hand stamp



April 23, 1929. A. J. MARKS HANDA sTAuP Filed March 14, 192'? 2shuts-Shen l April 23, 1929. v A 1 MARKS 1,710,633

HAND STAIIP .Filed March 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Shea 2 Patented Apr. 23,41929.

UNITED STATES PATENT ollnclez.` y

ALBERT J'. MARKSOF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS,

T0 JOSEPH LEVY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. i

HAND STAMP.

Application led March 14, 1927.

My present invention relates to hand stamps, and more particularly suchhand stamps embodying reversible platens.

An important object of the present inven- 5 tion is the provision ofsuch a hand stamp of extremely simple construction, comprising a minimumnumber of parts.

My present novel hand stamp is efficient, positive in operation, ruggedin construc- 1o tion because of the simplicity thereof, long livedbecause of the ease of operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

In carrying out my present invention, I provide a frame in the upperpart of which 15 is carried an inking pad or the. like against which a.platen bears. Projecting upwardly from the frame and centrally thereofis a tubular stem in which is carried a coiled spring. Mounted over thistubular stem is a. stem ot larger diameter than the first named stem andhaving a closed up er end, against which one endof the coiled) springbears. A yoke extends from the outer tubular stem and depends over theends of the frame. Mounted between the ends of the yoke is the platen,which may consistof a single stamping plate, or a plurality ofL thesame, or one lixed plate and one changeable plate, or any desirablestamping means. Means are provided for ready disasselnbling ot' the.stanipiner or printing media, and replacement of Zthe same Withoutdisassembling the entire machine. At each end of the'lrame is a. fixedrack, and mounted on 155 the shaft controlling the Operation of theplaten, are a pair oi gear segments, one at each end, and each adaptedto engage with `the rack on the frame. Guiding means are provided oneach side of the frame, and both at top and bottom adapted to be engagedby the plate in which is formed the ear segment, upon reversal of theplaten `y the rack and gear, thus insuring positive alinement of theplaten in both printing and ink receiving positions. I also provide onthe shaft on which the platen is mounted a pair Vof rollers, one at eachend adapted to engage the side of` a slot in the frame, `forsmoothnessand ease of-operation. y

To Iinsure positive alinement at the printing or stamping moment, of allthe figures, dates, Wording, etc., on the platen, articularly Where Iutilize changeable ate indicia, for example, I provide novel taperedvention,

"handle 13.

ends to receive a shaft 14.

Serial No. 175,217.

Wedging means to prevent the misalinement of the changeable type orindicia. When the platen and its component parts are as-` sembled, thechangeable or movable indicia holding means are adjusted With relationto these tapered Wedging means. Thereafter, regardless of the pressureor impact to which the platen is subjected, the removable or changeableportion of the platen will not be driven or disturbed from ellicient`printing 1,1os1tion, since all pressure or force exerted thereon isagainst the taperedwedge, which etliciently'prevents misalinement of theremovable portion of the platen with the iixed portion thereof. i i Ibelieve that such a hand stamp, as above described, is novel, and I have`therefore claimed the same broadly herein. f e

Referring l te the drawings, illustrating a `preferred embodiment of thepresent in- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3*3 of FigQ; Fig. 4 is across sectionalvievv on the line A1--4of1i`jg.2; Fig. 5 isa sideelevation of the changeable printing unit; and i y Fig. 6 is a bottomplan view of the? stamp. i As shown in` the drawings, my present novelhand stamp comprises a frame 1 having depending arms 2, 2Which armsconsti- 'tute thefsupports andbase for the stamp,

these arms being united at their lower edges by cross rods 3. A slot 4is provided 90 .in each ofthe supporting arms 2, anda rack 5 is affixedto the inside of each" arm by rivets or the like 6, the toothed portion7` of the `rack extending into the slot 4. Projecting upwardly from thecentral part of the 95 frame 1 a hollow or tubular stem `8, with` inwhich is housed a coiled spring 9. `A yoke comprising a bridge portion y1() and arms 11 hasa thimble or tubular member 12 mounted thereomoverwhich lits a suitable 100 The coiled spring 9 projects into the tubularmember 12 and handle 13, normally holding the yoke and handle in raisedposition. The arms 11 straddle the frame 1and are apertured at theirlower 105 This shaft is removable, being-adjusted toyproper degree oftightnessy thumb screws 15, 15. The

shaft 14 is adapted for movement up and down the slots 4 in the sidearms or supports 2, and rollers 1G, 16 are provided on the shaft forfree movement thereof, the rollers 16 rolling on the side of the slotopposite the rack The frame 1 is constructed and arranged to hold aninking pad 17, against which printing devices 18 normally bear. Theseprinting devices are preferably of rubber or the like material, and areheld in a platen 19. Depending from this platen, and at cach endthereof, is a web 20, to which web is altixed a. gear 21, by means ofrivets or the like 22. Guiding arms 23 form a portion ot the gear, theteeth of which gear are adapted to mesh with the rack 5 on move ment ofthe platen up or down. Depending also from the platen 19, atpredetermined points, are a pair of wedging members 24, preferablyintegral parts of the platen. The shaft 14 projects through the gear 21and web 20, and the platen 19 and component parts reciprocate or rotatearound the shaft. A removable printing or stampingr element 25 isprovided, and is adapted to be positioned between the wedge members 24,and to have the stamping or printing strips 26 alined with the printingor stamping indicia 18. This device consists in a frame having arms 27,27 between which extends a small shaft 28. On the shaft 28 are aplurality of knurled wheels 29 adapted to be manually operated to rotatehubs or spools 30, thus turning or movingl the tiexible printingelements 26 around the hubs 30 and over the ln'idge portion or arm 31.Extending from each arm 27 are a pair of ears 32, and a screw 33 unitesthese ears 32, tightening of the screw 33 tending to bend the ears 32toward cach other. lVhen inserted in the device, the wedging members 24extend outside of the arms 27, inside of the screw 33 and between theears 32. The largest por tion of the wedges 24 is. away from the platen19, so that, when the ears 32 are drawn toward each other by action ofthe screw 33, they will clamp around the wedge 24, the ears 32 adaptingthemselves to the shape of the wedge, and thus securely pre ventingmovement of the separable or movable printing element 25 out ofalinement with the balance of the printing or stamping members 18. Thiswedging feature is of great importance, since it insures alinement ofall the printing or stamping indicia held in the platen 19, resulting inan even contact of same with the inking pad 17,. and upon reversal, withthe article to be. stamped.

At the top and bottom of each side 2 is formed a guiding lip 34,inturned a sufficient distance so that the edges ofthe lower "es 34 willbe alined with the bottom edges ot the rack 5. The upper lip 34 islikewise inturned a suliicient distance to aline with the teeth 7 on therack 5.

with the edge 36 of the rack 5, thus guide ways are provided at the topand bottom of each side frame 2. When the platen is in the positionindicated in Fig. 3, the guiding arms 23 of the gear 21 are upward, andon the handle 13 being depressed, the lip 34 and edge 36 will hold theplaten substantially level until the teeth of the gear 21 engage theteeth 7 of the rack 5. Thereupon, continued pressure of the handle 13downwardly will continue the meshing of the gear 21 with the rack 5,causing the platen 19 and the printing indicia carried thereby toreverse itself, until, at reaching the bottom of the toothed portion ofthe rack 5 the printing surface of the platen is toward the bottom ofthe stamp, but still above the printing point. The arms 23 will then hegi'lided by the edge of the rack 5, and the lip 34, guiding the printingindicia downwardly in a level position, until the moment of printing orstamping impact. A groove or depression 37 is provided to receive the.rollers 1G when the platen has reached the. lowermost point. lhen it isdesired to lock the platen in depressed position, for reinking of thestamp pad, this is readily accomplished by means oit' a latch 3S,pivoted at 39 on one side 2, the point of which engages a notch 40 inthe side 11 of the yoke. On releasing the latch 38 from the notch 40pressure of the spring 9 will force the handle, yoke, and platenupwardly, the meshing or engagement of the rack or gear, reversing theplaten to normal position and again presenting the stamping indicia tothe inking pad.

The operation of my present novel stamp is simple, and will be readilyunderstood. It being desired to print any desirable data, the knurledwheels 29 are adjusted until the proper indicia` appear on the platensurface, thereupon the handle 13 is depressedagainst the pressure of thespring 9. The platen 19 and its component parts descends in a levelposition until the guiding arms 23 on the gear 21 have cleared the edge36 of the rack 5, and the lip 4, at which point the teeth of the gear 21will commence to mesh This causes the platen, which is secured to thegear 21, to reverse itself, the length of the rack being predeterminedto turn the platen from face upward to face downward posi tion.4 ll'poncompletion of the meshing action of the gear and rack, the guiding arms,2V and 24 will then engage the lip 34 and the edge of the rack 5,Lbeing thus guided downwardly in a level position until the moment ofstamping impact. Release of pressure on the handle will permit thespring 9 to force the handle, yoke and platen upwardly to normalposition.

By having the 'ack and gear arrangement on each side of the frame,smooth, even operation ofthe device is made possible, and

the novel Wedging arrangement heretofore described prevents thechangeable stamping indicia from being disalined from the remainder ofthe stamping indicia on contact with the paper or article being stamped,the wedge arrangement effectually preventing upi 'ard movement of theremovable data at the time of impact. i,

I believe that my hand stamp, as above described, is novel, and I havetherefore claimed the same broadly herein.

Thile I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat indetail, it will be ajgipreciated that I am not limited thereto, but mayvary the size, shape and arrangement of parts within reasonably Widelimits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and defined in the. form of claims asfollows:

l. A hand stamp ot' the kind described, comprising a frame, a reversibleplaten carried by said trame, a removable printingr device associatedwith said platen, a pair of weiflges on said platen, and adjustablegripping means on said removable rinting de' vice engaging each of saidWedJges to hold said device in position.

2. A hand stamp of the kind described, comprising a frame, a reversibleplaten cai ried by said frame and normally in contact with an inkingdevice, a removable print ing element associated with said platen, apair of wedges on said platen, adjustable gripping means on saidremovable printing element engaging said Wedges to hold said element inposition in said platen, a rack attached to each inner side of saidframe, a gear on each end of said platen, said rack and gear beingadapted to mesh on depres.

sion of the platen to reverse the platen from ink receiving to printingposition, grinding means atthe top and bottom of each of said racks,inturned guiding li s at the top and bottom o't each side of sait frame,means on said gears cooperating with said guiding means and said lips tomaintain said platen in horizontal position before and after meshing ofthe racks and gears, andmeans to retain said platen in printingposition.

3. A hand stamp of the kind described, comprising a frame having a slotin each side thereof, a rack on the inside of each side of said frameprojecting partially over said slot, a tubular stem carried by saidiframe, a coiled spring .in said stem, a yoke carried by said stem andextending over cach side ol said frame, a handle for said yoke, saidspring extending into said handle, a shaft mounted between the lowerends of said yoke and adapted for vertical reciprocation in said slots,a type holding platen mounted on said shaft, a removable printingelement associated with said platen, depending wedgeshaped Webs on saidplaten, gripping members on said removable element adapted to engagesaid Wedge members, means to adjust the grip of said members on saidwebs, a gear atiixed to each end of said platen and adapted to mesh withsaid racks, guiding means on said gears and said frame to maintain theplaten in horizontal position before and after meshing of the racks andgears, said meshing action reversing the platen from normal position toinking position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT J. MARKS.

